Storage Solutions for playroom

[NoseyHelen]

We're looking for good looking storage for the playroom in our new house. We'd like to have a wall's worh of storage where everything could have it's place. We don't want it to look tacky because it will be visible from other rooms but we don't want to spend a huge amount of money either.

Any suggestions?

[Loulou73]

We have this and some of these which the small things go in.

We left some of the vertical pieces out so that we have some double width shelves for the bigger toys and games.

It is very sturdy as there is a bracket so that it fixes to the wall. Good value for money.

[navyeyelasH]

WE are doing this in our playroom with a wall about 4m in length so its going to be massive. We are sort of following the lazzari way of thinking with lots of different shaped cubes. The will be some others pieces like telescopic bars to hand wet paintings on and a slotted cube to drop large rolls of sugar paper into.

The problem that we are having is that we can't find tasteful and prectical storage boxes to go inside the cubes. I like the ones on GLTC but not at £20 a pop!

HTH

[BonsoirAnna]

I love the transparent Ikea storage boxes - children can manage themselves from a very young age because they can see what is in them and they are easy to open. And they look quite cool if you arrange them on shelves - and you can buy the shelves themselves in Ikea as they will fit the boxes. Cheap, functional and quite attractive (as far as storage goes).

[NoseyHelen]

Thanks so far ladies. I really liked the Lassari range too but I think once you've added all the containers it would be very expensive. The ikea range would probably do the job perfectly well and the transparent ones that go with the range Loulou recommended would look good together.

So, i have to work out how much we are prepared to spend. This is a room that would probably always be the children's room, be they toddlers or teenagers so perhaps I could justify expensive options but then again the whole house needs doing so perhaps some thriftiness is required.

[BonsoirAnna]

This is the SAMLA range of storage boxes that I love for DD - she can see exactly what is in each box!

[NoseyHelen]

We have 1 samla box but the lid doesn't click on to the box - is this right? DS loves pulling things out of that box!

[NoseyHelen]

Just seen that you have to buy a seperate clip to click it shut - typical ikea!

[BonsoirAnna]

No, the lids don't click shut - which is exactly why they are so good for children whose fingers aren't strong yet, but of course no good for preventing children from getting at things. Depends what you want!

I have zillions of the things for arts & crafts materials.

[PestoSoggyMonster]

We have got one of

these

in our dds' bedroom. It means stuff can be stashed easily, but it's still visible and therefore easy to find.

[amidaiwish]

we have the Ikea ones too, this on its side (so 4 shelves across and 2 deep) with the clear Lekman plastic boxes on the top row. fantastic! one has all the wooden play cooking stuff in, one all the peppa pig stuff, one all the happyland stuff and one dressing up stuff.
then we have this shelving unit next to it with all the jigsaws, board games etc. on.
Fab.

[navyeyelasH]

The onlt thing is wit those ikea samila boxes is that they only come in one size! I might have to go for those really useful boxes.

I also like these but again quite ££. Maybe a mixture would be good!?

[BonsoirAnna]

The IKEA Samla boxes come in loads of sizes! But you can stack all the different sizes together - that's one of the things that is so great about them.

[navyeyelasH]

Oh I didn't know that bonsoirAnna!

[Sputnik]

These look nice, they have 1 transparent side.
I am doing my DC's room atm too, and going for an expedit too. It also has a desk thing you can add on, which I think would be useful to keep DD and her playmobil out of range of DS. There are also draws and cupboard doors you can add on.

[countryhousehotel]

We just bought this one for dd's room to put everything in other than books and clothes:

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S4985754
this system comes in all sorts of combinations or you can build your own. Fab.

[countryhousehotel]

sorry link not working - search for Trofast on the Ikea home page and you'll get the full selection.

[lynniep]

I've got the expedit shelving. I think they're ace, and have got them fastened to the wall. I just got the cheap Komplement boxes (fabric) so DS doesnt do himself too much damage if he manages to pull one out himself. You can also get the boxes to fit from Dunelm Mill (fabric - but bright colours)

[hana]

trofast is great - we've just bought masses of it for bedroom of 2 and 4 year old girls, sadly looking forward to putting it together and sorting out their toys {saddo alert}

[elliephant]

Another vote for trofast. Particulary like the shallow trays for all the small bits we have ( 566 million pieces of lego and 418 polly pocket shoes ). IME big boxes are a disaster as my mini slatterns kids would empty the entire lot out when looking for an elusive toy. So bought the boxes in sizes to suit the toys we have - even measuring the bigger stuff to make sure it would fit .
Easier to organise and find things = less mess - in theory anyway

[Sputnik]

The thing about the trofast though is that it is very obviously kid's furniture, and they'll grow out of it in a few years. I suppose you could sell it on at that point but I quite like the idea of adapting stuff for different uses as they grow older.

[EachPeachPearMum]

it is also quite ugly!
I am struggling with this atm, as we don't have room for expedit, and I think lazzari is way overpriced for a bit of mdf

[navyeyelasH]

we are making our own lazzari eachpeach; is that not an option for you?

BTW it's rubber wood - even cheaper than mdf!!

[hana]

trofast isn't ugly! I wish they did a better selection of colours tho - we went with mostly white with a couple of small green/pink trays

[EachPeachPearMum]

okay hana, sorry... I will amend to- imo trofast is ugly
I just like having everything hidden away behind doors tbh, and the trofast doors are vile not nice.

navyeyelash- couldn't build our own- we have a pre-schooler and an infant and the room we need it in is a bit of a thoroughfare... plus it really is beyond DH's (or mine) DIY skills!

[Sputnik]

I am with you on the trofast, Eachpeach!